As June flies by, you might be scrambling to find the perfect way to spend the Fourth of July. There are lots of great celebrations going on during this amazing summer holiday, but if you’re on a tight budget you might find yourself feeling limited. Luckily, the summer months bring lots of great celebrations that go hand in hand with this holiday. So, you should be able to find some fun without having to worry about spending too much money. These amazing ideas will help you find the perfect way to celebrate, so you can make this Fourth of July something to remember for years to come.
1. Free Location
Luckily, there are a ton of free locations that can help you make your Fourth of July magical. Before the big day, you might surf around to see if there are any parks offering free admissions. This could make the perfect time to go camping and enjoy everything that the country is made of. Another great option is to take a dip in the lake or ocean to help celebrate the fun. In most cases, you won’t have to spend a dime on these items. You can also save even more money on these items by skipping driving. Instead, take public transit as it will help you save a bundle on parking fees. Of course, make sure you look up the rules for food and drinks in the destination you choose, because if outside items aren’t allowed then you might find yourself spending a fortune.
2. Parade
One of the best ways to soak up some holiday fun is to hit the local parade. Most communities will have some sort of parade to mark the special occasion. You will probably find information on yours in your local paper or on social media, so make sure to check up on it before the big day arrives. In some cases, towns will hold parades before the event, so it is important to make sure you’re up to date. If your community isn’t hosting a parade, then there is a good chance you’ll find one near you. You can also watch some of the parades from larger cities online. Thus, you can probably kill a couple of hours just watching recaps in the air-conditioning.
3. Community Celebration
Like parades, the Fourth of July often brings some exceptional community events. For instance, many communities will host a potluck for everyone to gather and enjoy one another’s company. You might also find events that have games, relay races and so much more. Some community’s will even host a low-cost carnival around this period of time, so people can truly get the most out of the event. A lot of these events won’t cost you money, but those involving food might require a small fee. Best of all, you should be able to catch some awesome fireworks at the event. This will certainly save you money too, as you won’t find yourself hosting your own party or dealing with firework purchases.
4. Movie Marathon
Without a doubt, July can be one of the hottest months around. So, you might not want to spend your whole day in the sun, especially if you plan on staying up for the firework show. Instead of going out to have some fun, you might want to have a movie marathon instead. You can have everyone bring pillows and blankets into the living room, make some patriotic inspired snacks and then enjoy some of the best movies around. There are so many movies that fit the Independence Day theme. Of course, you can also watch a few of the movies that are also about the actual event. The best thing about a movie marathon is you can even customize it to suit the age groups in your home.
5. Get Crafty
In order to keep kids busy on the holiday, you might check out some holiday inspired crafts. For starters, you can have the kids make Uncle Sam hats, which they can wear throughout the holiday. Another option is to craft flags that can be up as décor or given as a gift. You can even make firework art to help kids have even more fun with their favorite aspect of the holiday. There are a ton of July 4th crafts online to choose from too, so you can keep busy all day if you want. Of course, if you’re trying to stick to a budget then you might want to plan your crafts around the supplies you already have at home. Using recycled items like bottles and containers will help cut the price too. You might also consider hanging up the décor for the holiday, so you don’t have to purchase anything else to keep the home looking great.
6. Put on a Patriotic Play
Movies aren’t the only way to enjoy some fun during the holiday. You might actually have your family put on a play for the holiday. You can invite the neighborhood to pitch in or simply keep it between you, your family, and friends. If you don’t want to put in a lot of work into the play, you can actually purchase scripts to make life easier. There are more than a few to choose from too, so you might be able to enjoy more than one production. There are also free plays to download too, which will help get everyone in the mood to put on their best performance. If you do write your own play, you might make sure to copyright it, just in case it’s a hit. You can also make our own costumes to add to the fun.
7. Go Shopping
The Fourth of July is a great time to get out and shop. However, you might not go looking for tech, mattresses or even clothes like you might with other holiday sales. Instead, take full advantage of the sales on food. There is going to be a lot of grilling deals to help you make the summer amazing. So, you might stock up on things like hamburger meat, premade patties, hot dogs, sausage links and chicken. Meat isn’t the only option though, as vegetables that can be cooked on the grill, like corn, will also be on sale. You might also look out for deals on sides like canned beans, canned chili, chips and more. Of course, summer fruits will also be a hit. If you’re stocking up now, you can freeze the items you don’t plan on eating, which will help save you money in the long run.
8. Host/Attend Potluck
Of course, getting together with family, friends and neighbors has been one of the most popular ways to celebrate the Fourth of July for quite some time. This doesn’t mean that you have to host a huge event and spend your entire budget to accommodate everyone. Instead, ask your guests to bring something along to help save some money. This will ensure there is plenty of food for everyone, so you can concentrate on just having fun. You don’t even have to worry about entertainment as you can easily put on a free playlist or movies to add to the fun. You might also consider visiting someone else’s party if you have an invite. This can take a huge burden off of your shoulders for the price of a simple casserole or a few bags of chips.
9. Embrace Firework Alternatives
Fireworks can be pretty pricey. On top of that, they can be scary for children, animals and people suffering from PTSD. So, you might want to consider a few firecracker alternatives this holiday. One option is to add some confetti to a toilet roll and use a rubber band to send the confetti flying. You can even decorate this alternative to look like the real deal, which can be a lot of fun for kids. If the kids are missing the colors in the sky, then consider adding to the holiday with some balloons. You can paint the balloons with glow in the dark paint, or add a glow stick to the interior of the balloon. Then blow them up and let them hit the ceiling. Of course, you shouldn’t let these loose outside as they can cause harm to animals. Finally, you might consider firecracker goop. This is slime that is infused with the popular candy Pop Rocks. When kids squeeze the goop it will make lots of popping noises, which is certain to bring some laughter. There are lots of other alternatives to choose from too, so browse around online for a few more choices.
10. Enjoy the Sky
You won’t have to go far to enjoy the fireworks though. Instead of spending a fortune on your own, you might head outside and see what everyone else is setting off. Usually, you will be able to see community shows as well as your neighbors’ fireworks from your own backyard. You might even prepare some snacks and sit outside and enjoy the show. This can be a relaxing way to end your day and it won’t cost you anything.
The Fourth of July doesn’t have to be a major form of stress when it comes to your finances. Instead, you should celebrate the holiday and the meaning behind it. These tips will help you find frugal ways to have some fun, so you won’t have to skip out on this fun day.
